Figure 5: Destemmer-crusher
- Production Press- The press is used to extract juice from grapes whether the grapes are whole/crushed, destermmed, fermented or unfermented. The presses exert measured pressured to free juices from the pulp, without crushing the seeds, effectively ensuring the quality of the wine. This is because crushing seeds leads to the release of bad tannins that hurt the wine quality. The presses have nylon pressing membranes (coated with non-toxic artificial material) suspended on the pressing cylinders’ interior walls in order to ensure that there is a uniform of pressed grapes across the whole surface. The membranes are heat sealable in order to allow for ease of repair.
(Insert a picture showing the settling tanks here)
Figure 6: stainless steel settling tanks
- Settling Tanks- The tanks help in freeing the extracted juice of solid impurities, by allowing the solids to settle at the bottom of the tank, effectively creating a clear juice. In some cases, enzymes may be added to quicken the process.
- Fermentation Tanks- Red and white wine differs because of the tannin quantity content. Tannins are largely contained in grape skins, and red wines have considerably more. This is because of the process called maceration by which the juice is mixed with the skins, seeds and other bits. This gives the wine the deep red colour and bitter taste. On the other hand, white wine is made from grapes from which skins have been removed before they are put into a Destemmer-crusher and the production press. Effectively, white wine is simply made from fermented grape juice as against red wine, which is made from fermented grape juice mixed with crushed seeds and grape skins, stalks.
- Filter- This winery uses a filtration equipment called Filtrox pad filter, which is used for industrial filtration of highly sensitive liquids. This equipment is such that there are reduced chances of external infection, last longer, can be constructed vertically to minimize the require space and is generally simpler to use because it does not have any moving parts.
- Bottling Line- This is similar to any other drink bottling line. Firstly, bacteria and other impurities are filtered to avoid spoiling the wine. Corks are traditionally used to seal wine bottles. Once bottles are filled, they travel on a conveyor belt to a corking machine, which compress corks and push them into the bottles. Just before a bottle is corking, a corker vacuum sucks air out to create a negative pressure in the bottle, to help preserve the drink by preventing further oxidation.
- Oak Barrels- Oak barrels play an important role in creating the subtle differentiations among different wines. It affects the flavour, colour, tannin profile and wine texture. Since oak barrels are porous, they allow the wine to breathe, but the amount of air is still low to facilitate oxidation. Slight evaporation allows the wine to concentrate the flavour. In addition, trees of varied ages grown in different areas ensure that every barrel produces a distinctly subtle wine. My guide argues that oak barrels are like cosmetics; they make each one of us to look and smell different.
- Basket Press- They are used to press pulp that has fermented when vinifying red wine. This is a traditional alternative to pneumatic presses. The pulp is placed in stainless or wooden basket, before being pressed with a hydraulic-piston-driven plate, which maintains constant pressure. The must id emptied into a collection pan, from where it is sent to a vat.
Figure 7: Basket Press
Works Cited
Agrovin. Grape intake and pressing. 2014. http://www.agrovin.com/agrv/index.php/web/maquinaria/recepcion/en#1. 4 October 2014.
Botanical Online. Cultivation of Grapes. 2014. 2014. <http://www.botanical-online.com/english/grapes_cultivation.htm>.
Moreno-Lacalle, Jose. Wine, Seriously. 25 March 2014. 2014. <http://blogwine.riversrunby.net/wolffers-trellis-sampler/2014/03/25/>.
Robinson, Jancis. The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd edition. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.
